Related papers: Prospects for a Nuclear Optical Frequency Standard…
We examine energy level-crossings of fine-structure (FS) levels in the heavier highly charged ions (HCIs) with $d^6$ and $d^8$ configurations. From the analysis, we find that some of these HCIs are tailor-made for atomic clocks with quality…
A comparative vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy study conducted at ISOLDE-CERN of the radiative decay of the $^{229m}$Th nuclear clock isomer embedded in different host materials is reported. The ratio of the number of radiative decay photons…
Extra-laboratory atomic clocks are necessary for a wide array of applications (e.g. satellite-based navigation and communication). Building upon existing vapor cell and laser technologies, we describe an optical atomic clock, designed…
We report on the use of ditellurium ($\mathrm{^{130}Te_2}$) as a frequency reference for laser locking at 391 nm and 498 nm optical wavelengths, which are of interest in titanium (Ti) laser-cooling experiments. In the ultraviolet region…
We demonstrate transition between the fine structure splitting of the ground state of triply ionized zirconium (Zr IV) is suitable for a terahertz (THz) atomic clock. Its transition frequency is about 37.52 THz and is mainly guided by the…
Atom interferometry on optical clock transitions is being pursued for numerous long-baseline experiments both terrestrially and for future space missions. Crucial to meeting these experiments' required sensitivities is the implementation of…
Precision spectroscopy of atomic systems is an invaluable tool for the advancement of our understanding of fundamental interactions and symmetries. Recently, highly charged ions (HCI) have been proposed for sensitive tests of physics beyond…
A continuous-wave laser source at 148.4 nm based on second-harmonic generation in randomly quasi-phase matched strontium tetraborate, SrB4O7, is demonstrated. It provides (1.3-0.6+0.7) nW of VUV power in a single pass for an incident UV…
The impact of coherent light propagation on the excitation and fluorescence of thorium nuclei in a crystal lattice environment is investigated theoretically. We find that in the forward direction the fluorescence signal exhibits…
A polarized ep/eA collider (Electron-Ion Collider, or EIC) with variable center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) ~ 20-70 GeV and a luminosity ~ 10^{34} cm^{-2} s^{-1} would be uniquely suited to address several outstanding questions of Quantum…
Highly charged ions of heavy actinides from uranium to einsteinium are studied theoretically to find optical transitions sensitive to the variation of the fine structure constant. A number of promising transitions have been found in ions…
We present a spectroscopy scheme for the 7-kHz-wide 689-nm intercombination line of strontium. We rely on shelving detection, where electrons are first excited to a metastable state by the spectroscopy laser before their state is probed…
Nuclear resonant excitation of the 29.19-keV level in $^{229}$Th with high-brilliance synchrotron- radiation and detection of its decay signal, are proposed with the aim of populating the extremely low-energy isomeric state of…
The recent laser excitation of the 229Th isomeric transition in a solid-state host opens the door for a portable solid-state nuclear optical clock. However, at present the vacuum-ultraviolet laser systems required for clock operation are…
The hyperfine structure of $^{229}$Th$^{3+}$ ions in the nuclear ground state is investigated via laser spectroscopy of trapped Th$^{3+}$ ions that are sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled $^{88}$Sr$^+$ ions in a linear Paul trap. The…
The 8.4 eV transition in the $^{229}$Th nucleus is the basis for a high-precision nuclear clock with exceptional sensitivity to new physics effects. We have identified several cases in the Th$^+$ ion where electronic excitations closely…
We estimate the range of the radiative lifetime and energy of the anomalous, low-energy $3/2^+(7.8 \pm 0.5$ eV) state in the $^{229}$Th nucleus. Our phenomenological calculations are based on the available experimental data for the…
High-lying Rydberg and autoionizing (AI) states of thorium (Th) have been studied via resonance laser ionization spectroscopy at both TRIUMF Canada's particle accelerator centre and Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL). Multiple Rydberg series…
We observe an inverted crossover resonance in $\pi$-driven four-level systems, where $F'-F=0,+1$. The signal is observed through saturated absorption spectroscopy of the $(6s^{2})$ $^{1}S_{0}$ $-$ $(6s6p)$ $^{3}P_{1}$ transition in…
An active optical clock based on highly charged Nd$^{9+}$ ion is proposed for the first time. The clock can offer ultra-narrow linewidth at the $\upmu$Hz-level which is more than two-order of magnitude below the currently recorded laser…